Where Was Elizabeth Filmed?

The Short Answer

Elizabeth was filmed mainly at historic sites across northern England, including Alnwick, Bamburgh, Warkworth, Bolton, Chillingham and Aydon castles, plus Durham Cathedral and York Minster. Further south, the production shot at Haddon Hall in Derbyshire, Leeds Castle in Kent, Middle Temple in London, and Shepperton Studios in Surrey for studio work.

Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth, released in 1998, retraced the early reign of Elizabeth I with a visual palette of shadows, stone and candlelight. Rather than rely on sets, the production filmed at genuine Tudor-era buildings, and the choice shows on screen: Durham Cathedral's nave pillars appear inside Whitehall Palace, and York Minster stood in for Westminster Abbey during the coronation.

Principal photography ran from September to December 1997. Most locations cluster in Northumberland, County Durham and Yorkshire, which makes the north of England a natural base for anyone following the film. Several sites sit within a short drive of each other, and the castles involved are all major visitor attractions in their own right.

Every Location At A Glance

Location	Where	What was filmed	Access
Alnwick Castle	Alnwick	Princess Elizabeth arrested with followers; Protestant martyr executions; Leith Castle scenes	Ticketed
York Minster	York	Elizabeth’s Westminster Abbey coronation scene	Ticketed
Durham Cathedral	Durham	Whitehall Palace interiors and corridors; parliament scenes	Ticketed
Haddon Hall	Bakewell	Young Elizabeth receives news of accession; Hatfield House scenes	Ticketed
Bamburgh Castle	Bamburgh	Historic castle exteriors; various Tudor sequences	Ticketed
Warkworth Castle	Warkworth	Tower of London prison sequences and cells	Ticketed
Bolton Castle	Castle Bolton	Tower of London sequences including courtyard and apartments	Ticketed
Chillingham Castle	Chillingham	Castle interiors; Leith Castle; hunting lodge scenes	Ticketed
Raby Castle	Staindrop	Thames river pageant sequences	Ticketed
Leeds Castle	Leeds	Additional Tudor court sequences	Ticketed
Aydon Castle	Corbridge	Walsingham’s apartment and torture chamber	Ticketed
Middle Temple	London	Period interiors and exterior scenes	Private property

Filming Locations Map

12 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Location By Location

Interior studio work took place at Shepperton Studios in Surrey, southwest of London. The facility has been a production hub for decades and remains a working studio, so there is no public access to sound stages or backlots. Travellers curious about studio craft should treat this as a footnote to the trip rather than a stop, since the real draw of Elizabeth tourism lies in the historic buildings scattered across northern England.

Alnwick Castle in Northumberland hosted several major sequences: Princess Elizabeth's arrest alongside her followers, the Protestant martyr executions, and scenes set at Leith Castle. It is one of England's most visited castles, open daily through the main season, with seasonal hours and events worth checking before arrival. The sheer scale of the fortress gives a strong sense of why the production chose it for the film's most confrontational moments.

York Minster doubles as Westminster Abbey for Elizabeth's coronation, one of the film's most striking set pieces. The costuming and composition of the scene were based on Elizabeth I's coronation portrait. The cathedral is open to visitors and offers guided tours, so film fans can stand in the nave and match the architecture to the coronation footage. Photography restrictions apply in places, so check the rules on arrival.

Durham Cathedral provided the Whitehall Palace interiors and corridors, along with the parliament scenes. Its distinctive nave pillars are clearly visible on screen, which makes recognition easy for anyone who has walked the building. The cathedral is open daily for worship and tourism. It pairs naturally with Raby Castle in the same county, allowing travellers to cover two filming sites in a single day trip from Durham city.

Haddon Hall near Bakewell in Derbyshire stands in for Hatfield House, where the young Elizabeth receives news of her accession to the throne. The medieval manor is one of England's best preserved, with accessible interiors and gardens. Opening is seasonal, so anyone building a Peak District itinerary around the film should confirm dates in advance. The hall's period rooms appear in many productions, though its role here is among its most prominent.

Bamburgh Castle contributed exterior shots and various Tudor sequences, its dramatic silhouette rising directly from the Northumberland coast. The castle is open to the public and houses a museum, and the beach below offers one of the finest photographic angles in the region. It sits roughly half an hour's drive from Alnwick, so the two sites combine easily into one Northumberland filming day.

Warkworth Castle in Northumberland was used for the Tower of London prison sequences, including the cells where the film's political conspiracies play out. The English Heritage site opens seasonally, and its keep and towered enclosure retain the claustrophobic feel the filmmakers wanted. It stands just a few miles up the coast from Alnwick and Amble, making it a convenient add-on to a castle-hopping route through the county.

Bolton Castle in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, handled further Tower of London sequences, including the courtyard and apartments. The fortress retains its medieval structure almost intact, with rooms visitors can walk through and a roof giving wide views over the dale. Opening hours are limited compared with the bigger Northumberland sites, so check times before setting out. It pairs well with a drive across the Yorkshire Dales towards Durham or York.

Chillingham Castle in Northumberland supplied castle interiors used for Leith Castle and the hunting lodge scenes. Privately owned and famously atmospheric, it offers tours and events, with access details published on its own website since arrangements differ from the larger heritage bodies. Its reputation for grim interiors suited the film's tone. The castle is close to Bamburgh and Alnwick, slotting neatly into a Northumberland circuit.

Raby Castle near Staindrop in County Durham staged the Thames river pageant sequences, a rare water-based set piece in the film. The castle opens on select days, while its park and gardens have broader access, so checking the opening calendar matters here more than at daily sites. Its proximity to Durham Cathedral makes a combined visit practical, covering two very different sides of the production in one afternoon.

Leeds Castle in Kent, often described as one of England's most picturesque, hosted additional Tudor court sequences. The castle sits amid extensive grounds and is open daily, making it the most convenient Elizabeth site for travellers based in London or crossing between the capital and the Channel ports. The grounds deserve a half day in themselves, with moat views, gardens and aviaries beyond the filming connection.

Aydon Castle near Corbridge in Northumberland served as Walsingham's apartment and the torture chamber, some of the film's darkest interiors. The English Heritage property is a peaceful, lightly visited site with limited opening dates, so confirm access before travelling. Its timber-framed quarters contrast sharply with the county's larger fortresses and reward visitors who make the short detour from the corridor between Newcastle and Hexham.

Middle Temple, one of London's historic Inns of Court, provided period interiors and exterior scenes. Access is the trickiest of any location on this list: it is a working legal institution with limited public entry, generally restricted to events. Film fans can admire the buildings from the surrounding lanes of the Temple area near the Thames, which preserve much of the atmosphere captured on camera.

Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed

The story of Elizabeth unfolds in Tudor England, primarily in London and the royal palaces of the Elizabethan court. The filming tells a different story. Almost everything was shot far from London, at real castles and cathedrals across Northumberland, County Durham, Yorkshire and Derbyshire, with Kent, one central London location and studio work in Surrey filling the gaps. Warkworth and Bolton castles both stood in for the Tower of London, Durham Cathedral doubled as Whitehall Palace, and York Minster became Westminster Abbey.

The Studio Side

Shepperton Studios in Surrey handled the production's studio work. Like most working studios, it is not open to the public, so no visit is possible. Every other major location associated with the film is a historic site that welcomes visitors, which makes Elizabeth unusually rewarding among film location trips: nearly the entire world of the movie can be walked through in person.

Tours That Visit These Locations

No dedicated Elizabeth tour currently operates, but one listed walking tour covers ground the production used.

York Film Sites Walk

York: TV and Movie Locations Walking Tour

This walking tour of York passes York Minster and the Shambles, putting visitors in the cathedral where the coronation scene was filmed, alongside the city's other screen claims to fame.

From$20Check availability

Frequently Asked Questions

Where was Elizabeth mainly filmed?

At historic sites across northern England, above all in Northumberland and at Durham Cathedral and York Minster, with further shooting in Derbyshire, Kent, London and at Shepperton Studios in Surrey.

Which cathedral was used for the coronation scene?

York Minster stood in for Westminster Abbey. The scene's costuming and composition were modeled on Elizabeth I's coronation portrait.

Can you visit the Elizabeth filming locations?

Yes, nearly all of them. Castles such as Alnwick, Bamburgh and Bolton, plus Durham Cathedral, York Minster, Haddon Hall and Leeds Castle, are ticketed visitor attractions. Aydon and Warkworth have seasonal opening, Raby Castle opens on select days, and Middle Temple in London permits only limited public access.

Which locations stood in for the Tower of London?

Warkworth Castle in Northumberland provided the prison sequences and cells, while Bolton Castle in North Yorkshire supplied the courtyard and apartment scenes.

When was Elizabeth filmed?

Principal photography ran from September to December 1997, ahead of the film's 1998 release.

Is there an Elizabeth tour you can book?

No dedicated tour exists at present. A York walking tour of film and TV locations passes York Minster, where the coronation was filmed, and makes a practical option for travellers in the city.

Elizabeth rewards the travelling fan better than most period dramas because its locations are authentic and open. A Northumberland circuit covering Alnwick, Bamburgh, Warkworth, Chillingham and Aydon can be done in two or three days by car, with Durham Cathedral and Raby Castle added en route east, and York Minster easily reached by rail. Haddon Hall and Leeds Castle suit separate trips from the Peak District and London respectively.

Sources

The Short Answer

Every Location At A Glance

Filming Locations Map

Location By Location

Shepperton Studios

Alnwick Castle

York Minster

Durham Cathedral

Haddon Hall

Bamburgh Castle

Warkworth Castle

Bolton Castle

Chillingham Castle

Raby Castle

Leeds Castle

Aydon Castle

Middle Temple

Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed

The Studio Side

Tours That Visit These Locations

York Film Sites Walk

Frequently Asked Questions

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